LA JOLLA, Calif. – Cal State East Bay returns to California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play this weekend when it hits the road to take on UC San Diego. The Pioneers and Tritons represent half of the teams tied atop the league standings as the squads will play back-to-back doubleheaders starting on Friday, Feb. 21.

Cal State East Bay (4-4, 3-1 CCAA) enters the weekend leading the league with a .390 team batting average in four CCAA games this season. The Pioneers pitching staff boasts the third lowest staff ERA at 2.80, with half of the team's 20 runs allowed scoring courtesy of defensive miscues.

Chelsie Kakela and Lauren Vestal have combined to drive in 19 of the team's 39 RBI and are the top two hitters for average through eight games this season. Kakela has a team-high two homers and .375 batting average while Vestal leads the squad with 10 RBI and five doubles, to go along with her .360 batting average.

Emily Perlich and Kelsey Cairns have each earned a victory this season and combined for a 2.78 ERA. The freshmen duo of Jordan Abel and Olivia Aragon has allowed just two earned runs over 10 innings out of the bullpen this season.

UC San Diego (8-2, 3-1 CCAA) is currently ranked No. 13 nationally in the Feb. 19 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll. The Tritons took three out of four games from Chico State and have played all 10 of their games this season at Triton Softball Field.

All six Tritons who have started at least 9-of-10 games this season are hitting .333 or better. 2013 All-CCAA First Team selection Kirsten Willmon leads this group with a .393 average and was part of last year's squad that finished runner-up in the regular season CCAA final standings at 24-12.

UCSD has used four different pitchers to start in the circle this season. Alexis Edwards has had the most success going 4-0 with a 0.88 ERA in five appearances this season. As a team the Tritons have a 2.13 ERA and are holding opponents to a .244 batting average.

Cal State East Bay is 3-5 in eight road games against UC San Diego since joining the CCAA for the 2010 season. The Tritons have won three of the four four-game series' 3-1, but have never swept the Pioneers.

For more information on upcoming contests, visit the Cal State East Bay softball schedule page.

                  CCAA Standings (As of Feb. 20, 2014)

	Team	CCAA	RF	RA
1.	Cal State East Bay	3-1	34	20
	#1 Humboldt State	3-1	32	19
	#13 UC San Diego	3-1	17	6
	Cal State Monterey Bay	3-1	23	15
5.	Cal State Dominguez Hills	2-2	17	22
	Cal State Stanislaus	2-2	22	17
7.	Sonoma State	1-3	15	23
	Cal State San Bernardino	1-3	19	32
	San Francisco State	1-3	20	34
	Chico State	1-3	6	17